Seasons » 2015-16 » Everton News
Martinez: I understand fans' frustrations

Roberto Martinez says he can understand the supporters' frustration at another disappointing league campaign but he reiterated that he and his players are concentrating on finishing the season as strongly as possible and progressing in the FA Cup.
The manager spoke to the media in his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Crystal Palace tomorrow night where Everton go in search of what would be a first league victory in five attempts following three defeats and Saturday's draw with Watford.
As discontent among supporters grows following a continuing run of disappointing results, the manager had to answer a number of more searching questions than he has been used to in his press conferences but he refused to be drawn on analysing the problem afflicting his team's form other than to admit that the Blues' home form hasn't been good enough this season and that they have squandered too many points from winning positions.
Martinez was pressed over the growing pressure on his shoulders and asked how he feels he personally can respond to a worrying sequence of results that has seen Everton drop to 14th in the Premier League but the Catalan insisted that the focus is entirely on tomorrow's match.
“I wouldn't say that [I'm feeling more pressure than ever],” Martinez told the media. "As a manager you understand it's always the pressure you put on yourself. With the scrutiny of the outside or not, you always follow an intense demanding way of working, that in the last seven years of working in the Premier League, I would say it has always been the same. I will never stop doing that.
“Sometimes there is a better momentum in the outside, more scrutiny, more important moments. That's something you cannot control. As a manager you always concentrate on what you can affect, and that is why it is such a significant period for us because we can affect many things from now until the end of the season."
Fans' passion is the club's strength
“I can understand the frustration and that in our football club we share an incredible amount of passion,” Martinez said when asked his thoughts on the banners held up before the game at Vicarage Road, “I accept that. The only thing that matters is that we finish the season really strong and get high up the table.
“Everything is to fight for in the League campaign and we have a semi-final to look forward to. I've got no problems with the passion that our fans have for our team and our football club because that's the real strength that we have."
Asked about the smartphone footage that was shared on social media last night of him engaged in an unintelligible conversation with a supporter at the U21s game against Chelsea, the manager said: “I want to know what the fans feel and I respect a fan who supports our football club who has a genuine interest in the club. The passion that every fan has we share and we're all together here.
“Of course we're disappointed. We're as disappointed as the fans are and all we need to do is to be really close together, to use each other's strengths to finish the season really, really strong. So we'll never away from a fan's opinion; it's really important to know how the fans feel.”
The manager acknowledged that results, particularly at home, haven't been good enough he was asked where he felt the blame lies for that.
"There is no such thing as blame," Martinez replied. "We put in a lot of work to assemble this squad, to create a squad that breeds excitement and breeds incredible potential but the reality is that at the moment we've been really really good in certain aspects and really, really poor in others.
“We haven't been able to manage games well enough, we haven't conserved leads at times, we've thrown really good positions away and it's been reflected in the scorelines.
“So, clearly we need to get better. The way we see it, we are in a very significant moment of the season. We want to get as many points as we can in the league, we want to carry on progressing and see how far we can go in the FA Cup. We've worked really hard for 10 months to be in this position where we're still involved in two competitions, so the focus needs to be on a real obsession with the game we've got ahead.
“It's not a moment to talk about assessments," Martinez concluded, saying also that he has no target in terms of league position for the remainder of the campaign. "At the end of the season, we'll able to assess and see where we've been throughout the season. We're still in a really important moment of our league campaign. Every point has a really strong significance and, as I say, we've got no time to look back — the only focus is tomorrow's game.”
Reader Comments (82)
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3 Posted 12/04/2016 at 19:55:44
So he is surely suggesting we can still win the league!? And here's me thinking that was long gone and a top half finish is the best we can hope for! What a manager!
4 Posted 12/04/2016 at 19:57:58
It's a pity he doesn't concentrate on a strong start to the season... or a strong mid-season, I really do fear for the future of OUR club with this loony in charge.
5 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:02:50
I guess it depends on what you call 'involved'.
6 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:06:15
All of them have been talked up bigger and better than they probably are, except poor scapegoat Bainesy, and asked to play at a pace varying between lethargic and turgid. We do not have defenders on the posts, despite having everyone in the box at defensive corners, and our centre-halves are taller standing up than when they jump for the ball. You could not slide a £5 note under most of our teams feet when they are 'jumping' for a ball.
You show no inclination to change things in any match situation in a positive way, but I'll refrain from commenting on Mr Niasse until 2019 when he may be ready for a seat on the bench in the away league game at Yeovil.
If you truly understand, and are indeed a man of honour, ask for an audience with Bill and tell him the job is too big for you while there is the remotest semblance of maintaining some pride for the club in the Derby and the Cup. With you at the hem, I, along with a myriad others, fear the very worst.
7 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:08:59
You have no idea how much we are hurting and have been for 2 years now. If you did understand then you wouldn't keep insulting our intelligence with inane nonsense week after week after week when assessing the latest catastrophe on the pitch.
If you did understand us then you would have made damn sure the players put maximum effort in every week instead of letting them coast week after week. And if you did understand us then you wouldn't rebuke one of our own when he had the temerity to finally speak the truth, something that has been sadly lacking from your mouth ever since you were so fortunate to join the club.
Evertonians are born not manufactured and you were most definitely manufactured. You understand nothing!!
8 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:12:25
9 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:13:06
Does he not know we're 4 places above Sunderland, who are 18th.
He also said, 'there is no such thing as blame'. Why did Baines have to apologise then, for telling the truth?
He's an embarrassment, and full of his own importance, and Kenwright needs to pull the finger out.
10 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:14:24
"We are still involved in two competitions." What? FA Cup and the EPL? I thought every team in the EPL at the beginning ot the season was involved in the EPL still. No effort required at all just ask Aston Villa. When were the knockout rounds? What does 14th place get?
Never mind, he did it again. Back out onto the ledge.
11 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:14:32
Again and again and again and aga...........!
12 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:26:46
14 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:34:03
It's actually getting to be quite funny now. I almost feel sorry for him.
Hoping against hope for a decent result tomorrow, i.e. a win. (Remember those?)
God only knows what the atmosphere is going to be like on Saturday if it's another reverse.
COYB
15 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:34:40
16 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:35:32
17 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:39:30
18 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:39:43
20 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:44:35
He really has no comprehension of what is expected and thinks just staying in the Premier League and winning the occasional game is satisfactory. Sorry, Roberto, you are a nice guy and nice guys finish last.
If they get a point at Palace, it won't be because of anything he has done.
21 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:44:57
We're a dignified club. He's the Everton manager. We have a semi-final next weekend too.
23 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:48:44
Hello?
Anybody there?
Bueller?
24 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:49:20
Even if we went on a miracle run and won all our remaining games, I still would not want this demented fool over us.
Martinez out now
25 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:51:29
Oh yes there is, Roberto, and it lies firmly with you.
26 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:52:42
I know Wigan is out in the sticks but this guy is surely from another planet.
27 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:52:57
28 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:53:42
Just look up Chris Sutton's various outpourings, or the TalkSport phone ins etc. And virtually every person says Everton are punching well below their weight, especially in a season where Leicester will likely finish top of the pile.
Go through the teams side by side, and see how many Foxes would get in our side. Sad it may be, but there is a tipping point for everything, and I fear Roberto is past the point of no return with ours.
29 Posted 12/04/2016 at 20:55:32
30 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:04:43
31 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:06:53
I swear I will not get angry about this. I promise I'm not dreading the match tomorrow and smug arsehole Pardew's self satisfied face. I won't want to dislike the approach up to Goodison on Saturday, stomach in knots fearing deja vu all over again. Z Cars the highlight of the afternoon..
No such thing as blame my arse!
Prick!
32 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:15:41
33 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:31:36
34 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:35:19
Just don't understand why Kenwright can't see it and 40,000 fans and the media can. I was there with 13-16,000 crowds when Kendall was under pressure of losing his job in 1983.
It was never ever this bad with all support polarised against the manager. Martinez is no Kendall.
Unless Everton Board change him, nothing will change for our club apart from being in reverse. The longer this idiot is in charge, it will be just as detrimental to our great club as when we were banned from Europe in 1985... This time it's in our hands.
Please please sack him now.....!!!!!
35 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:37:23
"There is no such thing as blame". Yes there is and that is you. You are entirely responsible for this mess as you are the manager.
The campaign will end happily though for everyone once you have fucked off from the club.
37 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:42:18
I just wish Martinez would read this and recognised his time is up and realised that his brown shoes are made for walking... away.
38 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:42:55
Who or what will save us from this nightmare that is spiralling out of control.
39 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:45:58
How many Everton players would get in the Leicester team, you might ask.
I can think of four Leicester players that would be in most teams' starting lineup in the league.
41 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:54:00
42 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:54:50
43 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:55:58
44 Posted 12/04/2016 at 21:57:55
What a ridiculous statement. What the hell is there to fight for in the league campaign?
45 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:01:15
As a unit their defensive back 5 currently puts ours to shame with the mids and strikers also doing their bit. Five clean sheets in a row is it now?
They are top of the pile and rightly so you cannot win the Premier League by flukey results. Hope they do it as they deserve it more than Spurs imo.
46 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:01:24
It becomes ever more risible as the end of tenure approaches, like a form of death throes as the victim by that stage a figure of ridicule or even pity clings desperately to the delusion that hope remains.
Either that or I am trying to rationalise the ramblings of a man totally detached from reality.
47 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:02:35
Roberto Martinez will start next season as manager. I will rant and rave but my wife has suggested yoga. (Actually, her words were, "you are going to give yourself a heart attack if you don't start acting like a grown man, you are really getting on my nerves.) So, let us win a few games.
48 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:06:53
He really is mad. I truly think that he has a screw loose. He has to. He can't mean this. It's all getting a bit embarrassing for him now.
49 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:10:16
We're all trying even, especially Roberto. Some big games coming up.
50 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:14:10
51 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:17:49
52 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:22:37
You're pretty much spot on in your comments. His last few press conferences have seen the assembled journos 'circling for the kill'. Like a pack of wolves they can smell blood and the questions aimed at him are more pertinent now than they have ever been during his time at Everton.
Hence the almost blunt 'Where do you think the blame lies'? He's not daft though, he would have been privy to the sound advice provided by his 'trade union', the League Managers Association, who will have told him to 'see it through to the bitter end', and Everton are contractually obliged to compensate you heavily if they decide to sack you.
The odds are he'll stick it out to the end of the season and then we'll see who really wears the trousers now at Everton.
53 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:27:32
54 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:30:02
55 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:30:10
That was the day I started doubting Roberto. He'd been caught with his pants down around his ankles.
57 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:33:44
He may be sacked if we lose tomorrow. If Kenwright and the Board cannot see that this man is out of his depth then I really do despair.
He hasn't a hope in hell of winning the cup and personally if he does I still want him to do one!!!
58 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:34:10
I honestly don't see this as a 'phenomenal moment', as someone else said it's getting funny, this is probably my way of coping with this psychological whirlpool.
I dislike going to the match all due to him, this saddens me. Not arsed about tomorrow's result, I only care about going to the match a week Saturday.
59 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:39:35
60 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:41:32
How I echo that!
61 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:41:43
Smith and Moyes both outstayed their welcome by a few years and they never got this vitriol and constant abuse.
62 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:43:53
I want Leicester to win it to give all other teams hope, but with our squad, this is truly a season squandered league wise. And any new found money next season will pale into comparison against the really big spenders as they buy back their birthright from the Midlands upstarts.
63 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:47:34
64 Posted 12/04/2016 at 22:58:58
Although, thinking back, I said that about the Catalan's appointment!
65 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:00:39
I'm sure Moshiri is no mug, he's not going to let a smaller shareholder dictate what goes on at the club and I'm pretty sure his first major decision is around the corner.
MARTINEZ OUT!!
67 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:06:17
He doesn't have a clue! Just one more thing in a season of nearly total cluelessness. Made that last word up, but it fits.
68 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:07:05
69 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:09:17
70 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:09:53
Damian (#58), you are so right. Someone at work told me we were playing palace tomorrow. I used to name our next five fixtures, can't be arsed. How the hell are Bournemouth, West Bromwich Albion above us in the league. He should be sacked on that alone.
Mr Kenwright you are to blame and no one else. You and you alone were lazy in recruiting a new manager. A manager that relegated a club after years of struggling at the bottom of the league. On what basis did he get a club like Everton to manage? At least Moyes went on to manage the most successful team in Britain. Martinez will be lucky to manage in the Championship.
If we finish the season badly, next season under Martinez will be a relegation fight. No form, players leaving, and no confidence. Look at Leicester City, finished last season on a high and continued it!!
71 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:10:05
Martinez out? NO, NO, get the pair of the fucking loonies out of the club NOW, before we all go fucking mad. Listen to me I'm already half way there.
72 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:14:36
73 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:18:51
74 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:31:20
75 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:36:55
However, say, he nearly gets the rabbit out of the hat. Three league wins, and, a brutally unlucky semi final.
76 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:37:12
Oh no you don't!
78 Posted 12/04/2016 at 23:51:48
I had recourse to this method about this time last year and it worked for me.
I do hope you are right in your predictions. Eugene's pitched forks and flaming torches post has been niggling at me for a couple of days.
Up the Blues!!!
79 Posted 13/04/2016 at 00:25:39
Just the 3 semi finals (2 FA & 1 League Cup) in the Moyes' 11 year tenure. Let's get him back. Another few near misses by 2028 under Davie and we can all die happy?
80 Posted 12/04/2016 at 00:39:29
Or we could lose our next few league games. We could get stuffed in the cup semi-final and we could be down to our last couple of league games and Martinez is still waffling about finishing strong. I give up.
But the saddest , frustrating thing of all no matter what happens for the rest of the season, Martinez will still be at Everton at the start of next season. You see we don't sack managers. Smith and Walker were poor but they never had the players that Martinez has to work with. All hypothetical, I know. Shame on Martinez for wasting this opportunity of getting the best out of this so called "best ever squad".
Shame on Kenwright also for allowing this nonsense to fester for about two years. Check some of the first seasons results and performances as well. Not really as good as what some supporters think. A few very good wins but a lot of scrappy draws and one goal wins. And home defeats to Sunderland and Palace. The signs were there, right from the start. I want more from Everton FC.
Just a last comment: When Moyes, Smith, Walker, Harvey, Kendall, Lee, Bingham and even the great Harry Catterick were all going through lean times... when some of the football was not great I still cared. I was there, supporting. Believing. Not giving up.
I am finding it very hard to care what happens to Martinez's Everton. I want us to be safe I want us to win the cup but I also want this season to end. We are going nowhere under Martinez. And the sooner our new 49.9% man sees that the better.
Martinez out.
81 Posted 13/04/2016 at 00:48:58
I hate "breaking up", it's painfully, messy and frankly........ just fuckin scary.
I'd LOVE Roberto to just sort out our defensive frailties, but I believe that he just won't. He never, ever will.
I have an ex who was just fuckin adorable, utter sex kitten, but day by day she was/is utterly bewildering. In our early days together, I was in utter bliss. Eventually I realised that the cost of our continued relationship would be my dignity, all the very things that add up to me being me.
Clearly, I would not accept that. It was bloody painful.
Roberto, if you walk, then I'll respect that, but I'm really sorry Roberto, it's over.
82 Posted 13/04/2016 at 01:04:45
1. He is mentally ill, suffering from the direct opposite of depression, ie, false euphoria, where despite all evidence to the contrary, his mind is convinced everything is in a state of perfection. In this state, if his leg was to drop off, he'd find something positive to say about it, probably emphasising only having to buy one brown shoe instead of a pair.
Or 2. The simplest explanation, the man is quite simply an inveterate and compulsive liar.
I tend to side with #2. He thinks he can hoodwink us all with his Martinez gobbledegook double talk and hasn't realised we've all seen through his lies and smoke and mirrors philosophy (well, most of us have). I just want to see the back of this man who has poisoned our club with his failed tactics, ineptitude and downright lies. The man is clueless.
Someone posted earlier asking why Moyes didn't suffer this degree of vitriol, simple answer, he didn't try to make us believe we were world beaters while overseeing a catastrophic plunge into the lower reaches of the Premier League.
83 Posted 13/04/2016 at 05:03:33
You clueless fuckwit, I despair I really do, this fella is so effing deluded its beyond belief. Surely the only reason he's still here is because they can pay him off less the worse we finish, maybe? I don't know, but I can't think of any other logical reason.
84 Posted 13/04/2016 at 06:46:16
Would you want to win the cup if it means Martinez is manager next season? Yes or No?
85 Posted 13/04/2016 at 09:14:57
It does appear that the goodwill is well and truly exhausted among the fanbase not just here on TW. Best we can hope for is that behind the scenes that Farhad Moshiri has already decided his fate and is waiting for the summer to install a replacement. The only justification I can find for leaving Martinez in place to the summer is that a replacement has been identified that is unavailable until the end of the season (Pellegrini??).
86 Posted 13/04/2016 at 09:38:27
I just don't listen to him anymore, I prefer to judge him on what I see out on the pitch, it's less stressful and confusing. Although the conclusion is the same: Martinez out!
87 Posted 13/04/2016 at 09:44:48
Roberto however is just an arrogant idiot
88 Posted 13/04/2016 at 09:50:16
89 Posted 13/04/2016 at 10:15:19
90 Posted 13/04/2016 at 12:55:43
I swear I will not get angry about this. I promise I'm not dreading the match tomorrow and smug arsehole Pardew's self satisfied face. I won't want to dislike the approach up to Goodison on Saturday, stomach in knots fearing deja vu all over again. Z Cars the highlight of the afternoon..
No such thing as blame my arse!
Prick!"
I have no need to add to this.
This season is beginning to have the feel of the Moyes season when we finished 18th, enough points with 7 games to go and lose them all.
It's quite odd now, as when there were the arguments about Moyes there was a clear split in opinion, now it seems that 95%+ want Bobby gone.
I have never called for a manager's head, but I did after the Watford game... Fuck it! I was screaming for it at the final whistle against West Ham.
91 Posted 13/04/2016 at 14:02:20
I think strong drink may have been involved!
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1 Posted 12/04/2016 at 19:37:50
Apparently, the fan pressure at Everton is no different to what he experienced at Wigan. Well it wouldn't be, would it when you are at the arse end of the table ?
All the blame is on the team, he is culpable for nothing... and him and Kenwright speak every day so there !
Now where have I heard that before?